On May 7, 2025, nearly 90 faculty members and invited guests gathered at the historic Piperska Muren in Stockholm for the Digital Futures Faculty Workshop. Against the backdrop of this Baroque-era venue, participants engaged in lively discussions, strategic planning, and networking focused on advancing digitalization research and academic collaboration.
The theme of this year’s workshop was “Digital Futures Faculty and Partner Networking,” offering a unique opportunity for faculty to stay informed about ongoing initiatives, upcoming funding calls, and future directions of the Digital Futures programme.
The afternoon began with opening remarks by David Broman, Associate Director Faculty at Digital Futures, who emphasized the collaborative spirit of the event. “Digital Futures is about building bridges – across disciplines, institutions, and borders. This workshop is where those bridges begin,” said Broman.
Karl H. Johansson, Director of Digital Futures, followed with updates on strategic priorities and the 2025–2030 development plan. He also highlighted recent successes, including KTH’s Prize for Industrial Collaboration, awarded this year to Karin Ekdahl Wästberg, Director of Innovation in the City of Stockholm, for her role in strengthening city–academia partnerships.
The workshop also welcomed new faculty members and visiting scholars, such as Gianluca Bianchin from the University of Louvain, Tamara Lorenz from the University of Cincinnati, and Roy Bendor from TU Delft—each contributing expertise ranging from optimization to human-machine interaction and AI for sustainability.
Participants received detailed briefings on several open calls, including the Societal Innovation Projects, Industrial Innovation Projects, and Partner Postdoc Projects, all with upcoming deadlines. Information was also shared about mobility grants, demonstrator funding, ERC support, and other opportunities that support both basic and applied research.
Other highlights included:
- An introduction to the Social AI programme with Imperial College London
- A recap of Open Research Day 2025, with 200+ participants and 80+ presentations
- Announcements for events such as the Summer Research Internship Program and Digitalize in Stockholm 2025, which will center around the theme “AI Everywhere”
A presentation by Stas Krupenia, Head of Research at Scania, introduced the Academic Exchange Program, reinforcing industry-academia connections.
The day concluded with a dynamic faculty speed networking session—three rounds of 20-minute topic-based conversations—followed by a dinner mingle where participants continued their discussions in a relaxed setting.
Set within the historical ambiance of Piperska Muren—a building whose walls date back to the 17th century—the workshop embodied the mission of Digital Futures: combining tradition with innovation to build a digitally empowered, collaborative future.
